Syringe releasing device



April 25, 1961 s. L. CHAPMAN, SR 2,981,270

SYRINGE RELEASING DEVICE Filed Aug. 7, 1959 INV EN TOR.

: sit tats SYRINGE RELEASING DEVICE Samuel L. Chapman, Sn, Columbus,Ohio (3228 Little St., Port Huron, Mich.)

This invention relates to implements for cleaning hypodermic syringes,and more particularly to a device for unclogging a syringe.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedimplement for unclogging a hypodermic syringe, the implement beingsimple in construction, being easy to attach to a syringe, and beingeasy to manipulate.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved implementfor unclogging a syringe which has become inoperative due to anobstruction in its discharge passage, the device being relativelyinexpensive to fabricate, being easy to attach to a syringe in place ofthe needle of the syringe, and providing means of injecting Water orother cleaning liquid into the discharge passage of the syringe with asubstantial amount of force so that said discharge passage will be freedof obstructions.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description and claims, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view showing a syringereleasing device according to the present invention attached to thedischarge end of a hypodermic syringe in place of the needle associatedwith the syringe and arranged for injection of liquid into thehypodermic syringe for unclogging its discharge passage.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 1 but showing theposition of the parts after liquid has been injected into the dischargepassage of the syringe by the syringe releasing device.

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially on theline 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view taken through theforward end portion of the syringe and the portion of the syringereleasing device attached thereto, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is' a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on theline 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, 11 designates the barrel portion of aconventional syringe, said barrel portion being formed at its end with areduced discharge conduit portion 12 having the discharge passage 13extending axially therethrough. The reduced discharge end portion 12 ofthe syringe is formed with the cylindrical skirt portion 14 terminatingin the inwardly directed, spaced radially extending lugs 15 which arelockingly engageable with the attaching lugs of a syringe needle, notshown. Slidably engaged in the barrel 11 is the usual syringe piston 16.

Designated generally at 17 is a syringe releasing device which may beemployed to unclog the discharge passage 13 of the syringe by forcingwater or similar liquid into the syringe in a direction reversed fromthe normal direction of flow of liquid out of the passage 13. Thus, thedevice 17 comprises an elongated tubular chamber 18 formed with areduced cylindrical end portion 19 terminating in outwardly directedspaced locking lugs 2,981,273 Patented Apr. 25, 1961 20 identical to thecorresponding locking lugs provided on the hypodermic needle, the endportion 19 being formed with the outwardly flaring bore 21 adapted tosnugly engage on the outwardly convergent end surface 22 of the portion12 of the hypodermic syringe. Thus, the tubular chamber 18 may belockingly engaged with the lugs 14 of the syringe in place of the usualhypodermic needle, as is clearly illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5.

The end portion of the tubular member 18 is formed with a cavity 24which communicates with the outwardly flaring bore 21 of member 19, anannular shoulder 25 being defined at the plane at which cavity 24communicates with the outwardly flaring bore 21, as is clearly shown inFigure 4. The cavity 24- communicates with an inwardly convergent boreportion 26 which terminates in an axial passage 27 communicating withthe interior of the tubular chamber 18, as shown in Figure 4. A valveball 27 is disposed in the conical passage 26, and a coil spring 28bears between the valve ball 27 and the shoulder 25, biasing the ball 27toward sealing engagement with the conical bore 26, as shown'in Figure4, the ball 27 being releasable, however, responsive to a predeterminedpressure developed in the chamber 18 by fluid in said chamber, wherebysaid fluid may flow past the valve ball 27 through the cavity 24 and outthrough the discharge end 19 of the chamber.

A piston 29 is slidably and sealingly engaged in the chamber 18, thepiston being provided at its end with a sealing plunger element 30 ofresilient deformable material which sealingly and slidably engagesagainst the inside surface of chamber 18. At its outer end the piston 29is provided with an enlarged, substantially oval head element 31.

The chamber 18 is formed at its rear portion with a conduit element 32extending perpendicularly to the main body of the chamber and providedwith the spaced lug elements 33 similar to the lug elements 20 on themember 19. Designated at 34 is a liquid reservoir which is detachablyengaged with the conduit 32 by the provision of a cylindrical attachingskirt portion 35 provided with a conical axial spout element 36sealingly engageable in the conduit 32, as shown in Figure 1. The skirtportion 35 is provided with the inturned lugs 37 similar to the lugs 14and lockingly interengageable with the lugs 33 in the same manner thatthe lugs 14 are lockingly interengageable with the outwardly projectinglugs 20 on the end portion 19 of chamber 18.

The reservoir 34 is provided with the axially extending discharge bore38 which is in communication with the conduit 32 when the reservoir 34is attached to said conduit in the manner illustrated in Figure 1,whereby liquid 39 in the reservoir may pass through bore 38 and conduit32 into the chamber 18 and will fill the space between the end of piston29 and the discharge end portion of chamber 18. Water or any suitableliquid may be employed in the reservoir 34 for cleaning a syringe 11.

In using the cleaning device, the device is attached to the end portion12 of a syringe in place of the conventional syringe needle, asillustrated in Figure 1, water or other suitable liquid being providedin the reservoir 34-. The piston 29 is then pushed inwardly to force theliquid 39 past the valve ball 27 and into the syringe bore 13, asuflicient impact being applied to the head 31 to provide a substantialbuilding up of pressure behind the valve ball 27 When the valve ball 27releases, the liquid under pressure is suddenly discharged into thesyringe the spring 28 pushes the ball 27 back into sealing engagement inthe conical passage 26, preventing any further flow of liquid 39 towardthe syringe bore 13.

As shown in Figure 3, the rear end cap 4% of the tubular member 18 ispreferably formed with laterally extending arm portions 41, 41 which maybe employed as gripping means to facilitate the application of releasingforce to the head member 31.

While a specific embodiment of an improved syringe releasing device hasbeen disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood thatvarious modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur tothose skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitationsbe placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A syringe releasing device of the character described comprising anelongated tubular chamber, means embodying locking lugs on the forwardend of said chamber lockingly engageable with the end of a. syringe inplace of the syringe needle, 21 water reservoir communicativelyconnected to the intermediate portion of said chamber, a piston slidablyand sealingly engaged in the chamber, and a piston rod connected to saidpiston and slidably and sealingly extending through the rear end of saidchamber.

2. A syringe releasing device of the character described comprising anelongated tubular chamber, means on the forward end of said chamberlockingly engageable with the end of a syringe in place of the syringeneedle, said chamber being formed with a forwardly flaring outletpassage adjacent the forward end thereof, check valve means in saidoutlet passage constructed and arranged to allow fluid to flow onlyforwardly through said passage, a water reservoir communicativelyconnected to the intermediate portion of said chamber, a piston slidablyand sealingly engaged in the chamber, and a piston rod connected to saidpiston and slidably and sealingly extending through the rear end of saidchamber.

3. A syringe releasing device of the character described comprising anelongated tubular chamber, means on the forward end of said chamberlockingly engageable with the end of a syringe in place of the syringeneedle, said chamber being formed with a forwardly flaring outletpassage adjacent the forward end thereof, a valve ball member in saidoutlet passage sealingly engageable therein, an annular shoulder in saidchamber spaced forwardly from the larger end of said outlet passage, acoil spring bearing between said shoulder and said valve ball member andbiasing said ball member towards sealing position in said passage andbeing constructed and arranged to allow fluid flow only forwardlythrough said passage, a water reservoir extending perpendicular to saidchamber and communicatively connected to the intermediate portion ofsaid chamber, a piston slidably and sealingly engaged in the chamber,and a piston rod connected to said piston and slidably and sealinglyextending through the rear end of said chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,238,269 Cornwell Aug. 28, 1917 1,388,854 Dezendorf Aug. 30, 19211,999,571 Nickerson Apr. 30, 1935 2,147,593 Bracken Feb. 14, 19392,843,508 Sheft T July 15, 1958 2,877,781 Lipp Mar. 17, 1959

